Amid speculation that he had deliberately skipped attending the Ganesh Chaturthi celebrations at Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde’s official residence, Deputy Chief Minister and rebel Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader Ajit Pawar on Monday categorically denied there was any friction between him and Mr. Shinde.
Speaking in Baramati, Mr. Pawar also refused to comment on the possibility of his wife Sunetra contesting from the Baramati Lok Sabha segment — currently held by his cousin Supriya Sule — in the 2024 general election.
Stating that he was busy in Ganesha festivities in Pune, Pimpri-Chinchwad and other parts of Mumbai, Mr. Pawar said: “I must have visited 60 Ganesh pandals in Pimpri-Chinchwad and 15 in Pune city. I also visited Lalbaugcha Raja and Siddhivinayak in Mumbai. Hence, I could not attend the Ganpati celebrations at ‘Varsha’ [Chief Minister’s official residence in Mumbai]. The media has the habit of unnecessarily blowing up news.”
When questioned if his wife Ms. Sunetra Pawar would be fielded from the Baramati Lok Sabha constituency, the Deputy Chief Minister merely said: “I am only hearing this from the media…”
Intense speculation
Ever since Mr. Pawar split the NCP founded by his uncle Sharad Pawar to align with the ruling BJP-Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena government, there has been intense speculation that Mr. Ajit Pawar would pit a family member against his cousin, three-time Baramati MP Ms. Sule.
According to the political grapevine, Paarth Pawar — Ajit’s son or Mr. Pawar’s wife, Ms. Sunetra, could be likely candidates against Ms. Sule, who is Mr. Sharad Pawar’s daughter. The BJP, which has been making strenuous efforts to breach the hitherto impregnable Baramati constituency, feels that it may finally have a chance with Mr. Ajit Pawar’s adhesion in the ruling government.
A week ago, when Ms. Sule was asked about the possibility of her sister-in-law, Ms. Sunetra Pawar contesting against her, she said: “I believe in democracy. Somebody or the other will be contesting against me. The BJP contested against me thrice… Even this time, they will field a candidate. Democracy should remain alive.”
Meanwhile, Mr. Ajit Pawar denied that the notice issued by the Maharashtra Pollution Control Board to Baramati Agro headed by MLA Rohit Pawar (who belongs to the Sharad Pawar faction) had been sent deliberately.
“The agencies sending notices are doing its job. Once we reply to that notice, the topic ends. No one should try to give a political angle to this. Even my factory had received such a notice in the past,” said Mr. Ajit Pawar.
